Method for determining the existence of extraterrestrial life



United States Patent 3,296,095 METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE EXISTENCE 0FEXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE Albin M. Nowitzky, Chatsworth, Califi, assignor toUniversal Match Corporation, St. Louis, M0. N0 Drawing. Filed Apr. 6,1964, Ser. No. 357,767 9 Claims. (Cl. 195-1035) It has been generallyacknowledged by the scientific community that the search forextraterrestrial life and for the origin of life constitute the mostimportant aims of space exploration. These aims also serve to justifythe momentous expenditures of technical effort and financial resourceswhich the space science programs require.

In support of the search for life on other planets, devices andtechniques capable of detecting the existence and nature of viablematerial are under development. These devices are being considered forinclusion in the first interplanetary scientific payloads scheduled forentry into extraterrestrial atmospheres and contact with other planetarybodies. Accordingly, terrestrial sterilization of the affected payloadis a decidedly outstanding design and operational requirement.

Various designs and models of devices have become known and demonstratedwhich are intended to land on foreign bodies, for instance, on the Lunaror the Martian surface, and subsequently to roll along, or walk acrosssuch a surface, to extract soil samples, to measure characteristics ofthe surface and of the surrounding atmosphere, and to communicate suchinformation back to the earth. Moreover, vehicles of this type areequipped to carry various sophisticated intelligence gathering devices,such as a television camera or spectrometer, and to transmit to anorbiting satellite or directly to'the earth all of the informationgathered. The main purpose of this instrumentation, as statedheretofore, is the search for and determination of extraterrestriallife.

Current life detector designs, although ingenious, appear to have incommon one exceptionally noteworthy disadvantage, that is, they areequipped to detect a type of life which is by definition terrestrial. Asa result, the subsequent sample read-out could result in the negativereading, the accompanying confusion of results, and the disastrousprobability of contamination followed by a future positive transmission.

One of the principal objects of this invention is to provide a methodfor determining the existence of extraterrestrial life, which method isfree from terrestrial influences and experiences.

Another object of this invention is a method for determining theexistence of extraterrestrial life by observing the existence of ametabolic reaction on the extraterrestrial body.

A further object of this invention is a method for setting up conditionsconducive to a metabolic reaction and for determining the developmentand existence of such metabolic reaction.

A still further object of this invention is a method for determininglife an an extraterrestrial body using an in situ generated nutrient andan atmosphere prevailing on such a body for determining the presence orabsence of a metabolic reaction within this mixture.

Other and still further objects of this invention will become moreclearly apparent from the following description.

The method described hereafter is based on the premises that metabolicgas production is common to all life, that such gas production isaccompanied by a detectable energy development, and that the nutrientfor metabolic reaction of an exobiologic sample must be generated insitu in order to yield a reliable, credible result.

The various mechanisms for effecting the several steps describedhereafter are common mechanical arrangements and are generally of thetype presently designed or demonstrated on models intended for landingon extraterrestrial bodies. The timing of the steps may either bepreprogrammed or may be instituted by command signals from the earth orfrom an orbiting auxiliary vehicle.

Step 1.-The basic step, of course, comprises the landing of a suitablespace vehicle on the extraterrestrial body. The vehicle is providedamong other things with servo mechanisms, a supply of distilled water,sample feeding means, heating means, test chambers, power means,instrumentation, and control means to activate and regulate the variousinstrumentalities. Upon landing, the vehicle is brought to anappropriate sampling location which is selected as a function of surfacepenetrability. This locating can be a self-determining action bymechanisms provided in the vehicle or by remote control devices. Thelocation must be of such a character that the surface can be penetratedin order to extract a sample of extraterrestrial soil.

Step 2.This step comprises the actual extraction of an extraterrestrialsoil sample by the mechanism supplied in the landed vehicle. Themechanism for this step can be a drilling or a surface scrapinginstrumentality. The soil sample is then inserted into a nutrientgenerator chamber provided by the vehicle.

Step 3.A predetermined amount of distilled water, carried by the landedvehicle, is mixed with the sample of extraterrestrial soil to generatean in situ nutrient. If desired, mixing means within the chamber cause ahomogeneous nutrient mixture.

Step 4.-The mixture of extraterrestrial soil and water is exposed toterrestrial terilization, for instance, heat sterilization at 550 F. for30 minutes. This sterilization establishe a basic uncontaminatednutrient. It shall be understood, however, that other sterilizationprocesses may be carried out by suitable means provided in the landedvehicle.

Step 5 .Following terrestrial sterilization, the nutrient is transferredto a test chamber and exposed for a limited period of time to theprevailing extraterrestrial atmosphere, the atmosphere beingsubstantially that at which the soil was extracted. In order to achieveproper exposure, mechanical activating means or aerating tech.- niquescan be used. Subsequently to this exposure, the nutrient is sealed inthe test chamber.

Step 6.-A sensor means provided in the test chamber registers theoccurrence of a metabolic reaction, for instance, metabolic temperaturerise, or gas generation, and this sensor means, in turn, modulates asuitable telemetering circuit to transmit such information to anorbiting satellite vehicle or directly to the earth.

It will be seen that this method has as its main object thedetermination of the existence of a metabolic reaction by usingextraterrestrial soil and the exposure of this soil to theextraterrestrial atmosphere. Of particular importance in this connectionis the generation of basic uncontaminated nutrient which subsequentlyserves as the test sample. Quite obviously, the sterilization must be ofsuch a character as to assure zero terrestrial contamination.

For determining the occurrence of a metabolic reaction it will beadvantageous to prepare two samples, that is, a first sample asdescribed heretofore which may become active and a second sampleprepared likewise from the sterilized nutrient mixture. This secondsample after sterilization is maintained sealed off from the atmosphereand, hence, will serve as a control. Both samples can readily bearranged in a comparison or difference circuit for obtaining acomparison between the activated 3 4" sample (first sample) and thesteady state sample (second extracting a sample of soil from said body;sample). Metabolic reaction may be sensed, for instance, generating anin situ nutrient by mixing said sample by measuring the temperaturerise, gas evolution or other with water; factors commonly associatedwith a metabolic reaction. subjecting said nutrient to terrestrialsterilization; The transmittal of the sensed data by the use of telem- 5exposing said sterilized nutrient for a limited period of eteringcircuits is well known and understood by those time to theextraterrestrial atmosphere which surskill in the art and need not bedescribed. rounds the location at which said sample was ex- It will beapparent that the method described heretotracted; fore is an arrangementfor determining the possibility sensing the occurrence of a metabolicreaction in said and existence of extraterrestrial life based onmaterials nutrient and providing a signal responsive to such andconditions prevailing on the extraterrestrial body. occurrence. Thismethod, therefore, is an in situ determination as 5. A method fordetermining the existence of extracontrasted with observations anddeduction made from terrestrial life comprising the steps of: the earthor from an observation post in space. landing a vehicle on anextraterrestrial body; While there has been described a preferredembodiextracting a sample of soil from said body; ment of the method fordetermining the existence of exgenerating an in situ nutrient by mixingsaid sample traterrestrial life, it will be apparent to those skilledwith distilled terrestrial water carried by said vein the art thatvarious changes and modifications may hicle; be made without deviatingfrom the intent and spirit of subjecting said nutrient to terrestrialsterilization; the present invention which should be limited only byexposing'said sterilized nutrient to the extraterrestrial the scope ofthe appended claims. atmosphere which surrounds the location at whichWhat is claimed is: said sample was extracted; 1. A method fordetermining the existence of extrasealing off said nutrient with anamount of said atmosterrestrial life comprising the steps of phere;

extracting a sample of soil from an extraterrestrial sensing theoccurrence of a metabolic reaction in said body; nutrient and providinga signal responsive to such generating an in situ nutrient by mixingsaid sample occurrence.

with water; 6. A method as described in claim 5 wherein said subjectingsaid nutrient to sterilization; sterilization comprises heating of saidnutrient. exposing said sterilized nutrient to extraterrestrial at 7. Amethod as described in claim 5 wherein said mosphere; sensing com risesa monitoring of temperature. and sensing the occurrence of a metabolicreaction in A od as described in claim 5 wherein said senssaid exposednutrient. ing of a metabolic reaction comprises monitoring of gas 2. Amethod for determining the existence of extrag n ration in saidnutrient. terrestrial life comprising the steps of: 9. A method fordetermining the existence of extralanding a vehicle on anextraterrestrial body; terrestrial life comp g t e s p of; extracting asample of soil from said body; landing 'a vehicle on an extraterrestrialbody; generating an in situ nutrient by mixing said sample extractingsoil from said body to provide a first and with terrestrial watercarried by said vehicle; a Second sample; subjecting aid nutrient tosterilization; 40 generating an in situ nutrient by mixing said samplesexposing said sterilized nutrient to extraterrestrial at- With distilledtelffistl'ial Water carried y Said mosphere; hicle; sensing theoccurrence of a metabolic reaction in said subjecting Said samples toterrestrial Sterilization;

nutrient and providing a signal responsive to u h exposing said firstsample for a limited period of time o u n e, to the extraterrestrialatmosphere which surrounds 3, A method fo determining th i t n of t thelocation at which said sample was extracted while terrestrial lifecomprising the steps of maintaining Said second sample sealed 01f fromsaid landing a vehicle on an extraterrestrial body; atmosphere;extracting a sample of soil from said body; sensing the occurrence of ametabolic reaction in said generating an in situ nutrient by mixing saidsample first sample by sensing the occurrence of ametabolic withdistilled terrestrial water carried by said vehicle; subjecting saidnutrient to terrestrial sterilization; exposing said sterilized nutrientto the extraterrestrial atmosphere which surrounds the location at whichReferences Cited by the Examiner sald sample was extracted;

sensing the occurrence of a metabolic reaction in said i The CaliforniaInstitute of Technology Quarterly nutrient and providing a signalresponsive to such Summer 1961 pages 12 17' reaction in both samples anddeveloping a signal responsive to the difference between said samples;and providing a signal responsive to such difference.

occurrence Science, vol. 138, pages 114-121, October 1962. 4. A methodfor determining the existence of extraterrestrial life comprising thesteps of: LOUIS MONACELL Prlmary Examiner landing a vehicle on anextraterrestrial body; A. E. TANENHOLTZ, Assistant Examiner.

1. A METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE EXISTENCE OF EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFECOMPRISING THE STEPS OF: EXTRACTING A SAMPLE OF SOIL FROM ANEXTRATERRESTRIAL BODY; GENERATING AN IN SITU NUTRIENT BY MIXING SAIDSAMPLE WITH WATER; SUBJECTING SAID NUTRIENT TO STERILIZATION; EXPOSINGSAID STERILIZED NUTRIENT TO EXTRATERRESTRIAL ATMOSPHERE; AND SENSING THEOCCURRENCE OF A METABOLIC REACTION IN SAID EXPOSED NUTRIENT.